Mid-Season Roundtable, part two

Part two of College Football Zealots' mid season roundtable. We're getting ready for Florida y'all! Here are my answers. Be sure to CLICK HERE and visit the full analysis.

Just like some years past this looks like it might be shaping up to be a good opportunity for Georgia to beat Florida. Why should we be optimistic Georgia will come out on top this year?

Like many have pointed out, we haven't put together a complete game yet. Everything points to the Dawgs having the advantage overall. But can special teams overcome their missed assignments and miscues? Can the offense perform for 60 minutes? Can the defense refocus after losing their composure in a very chippy game in Nashville? These are much better questions to have than the ones Muschamp's team is trying to answer.

But more than anything this team worked hard in the off season to mold a new image. And that's what we need in Jacksonville; a new attitude that isn't concerned with what's happened the last two decades, just with what happens on the field this year.

Who is the one guy that Georgia just has to stop for Florida in this game?

I think there's one on either side of the ball. Defensively it's #52 Bostic. He's everywhere and makes solid tackles. We need to get a hat on him to give Crowell more space to make his yards.

But if you are to confine me to only one player it would have to be Chris Rainey. He's put down his texting device with its murderous intent and is really putting together a spectacular season. He has 500 yards rushing and 275 yards receiving with 4 touchdowns overall. He's an explosive player, as dangerous as you'll find in college football. One small seam and he's gone. Grantham's guys need to keep him moving east-west as much as possible. Auburn has their issues, but they did a great job of confining him in their last game. Bama did as well. If someone like Herrera or Jones, maybe a really hungry Tree who'll be back from his injured foot..if they can plant him hard once early in the game, we may have a good idea how this one's going to go.

Mark Richt has seemingly had "must win" games all year long. Is this a "must win" game for Mark Richt's tenure at Georgia?

No, I don't think it is. He can survive another loss in Jacksonville with a strong November run. But it would be another embarrassing addendum to Richt's resume in Athens. Florida's had four coaches during Richt's tenure and he's lost to all of them except for their current head coach. If he loses to a former Georgia player at the WLOCP it would not sit well with boosters, alumni and other supporters. It would give his detractors a pretty strong argument that if he can't win this year against Florida, he will never be the one to turn the tide of the St. Johns river.

So is it a must win game for him to keep his job? Maybe not, but a loss here could easily spell the end. 

There is still a lot of time before the game but give us a quick prediction on the outcome.

I've steered clear of predictions all season long. So I can't give a prediction of the outcome, but I will say this. If the game is a blowout I think that favors Georgia. Florida has to be tired, even with the bye week, after the murderous row they've faced this month. If it's close I think that favors Florida for two reasons: our special teams have been inconsistent and history says we just can't seem to get into this game mentally for the duration. 

The only other thing I'll predict is that we see a heavy dose of Crowell Saturday. The more he's on the field the better our chances are of finally winning another one in Jacksonville.